2 election measures would pay for new 911 center, expanded operations

Current building too small, aging, offcials say

Editor's note: This is the fourth in an ongoing series of articles to take a closer look at projects that would be funded by a sales tax increase and three bond questions that will go before Dona Ana County voters on election day July 30. Early voting is underway.

LAS CRUCES >> When Hugo Costa first took a job as head of the city-county 911 call center, it took a while to get used to the sound of screeching tires.

That's thanks to the fact his office window -- and the whole building -- are adjacent to one of Las Cruces' busiest streets, Lohman Avenue, and a prominent intersection where brakes are frequently slammed. There's just a few feet between the road and the building.

Costa said he recalls often thinking: "Are they going to come through my window?"

For better or worse, Costa says he's adjusted to the sound now. But the situation illustrates a major flaw -- and severe weakness -- in the location of one of the county's most crucial pieces of its emergency response system. The electronics that serve as the brain of an all-important link between police officers, firefighters and residents who are in the midst of crisis situations are just one thin wall away from a constant stream of traffic, officials said.

"Driving a car through a facility like this would really put it out of service," he said.

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It's one reason county officials are placing a $6 million GO bond-renewal question before voters July 30. It would pay for construction of a new 911 call center, home of the Mesilla Valley Regional Dispatch Authority. A proposed 1/4 of 1 percent sales tax increase, or, an extra 25 cent charge on a $100 purchase, is a separate measure also on the ballot. It would pay for expanded 911 center operations, officials said.

Growing need

The 5,500 square-foot building -- a retrofitted former bank -- may have served the community's needs in 1989, when the 911 center first was located there, officials said. But, in a post-Sept. 11 world, security standards have ramped up by notches. Indeed, the federal government has a list of guidelines for emergency communications buildings, Costa said.

"We don't meet any of those requirements," he said.

There's no fence around the building to keep intruders off the property, and there's not enough distance between the street and the building, officials said. It's also in a flood zone.

"It's an antiquated, old building that was never designed to be a dispatch center in the first place," said Las Cruces Police Chief Richard Williams, whose 191-officer department is the biggest user of the service.

Williams declined to say whether he supports the GO bond or sales tax measures. But he said the need for a better facility is real. The center gives critical information to officers who are responding to the scene of crisis or crime in progress, he said. Plus, there are other non-emergency uses, such as codes and animal control, he said.

"MVRDA is the lifeline for our officers," he said.

County deputies and fire personnel across the county also rely on the center. It's also the place officers go to verify outstanding warrants.

At the existing building, the electrical system is at capacity, so there's no way to add the 911 call trunks that are necessary to add new call dispatching staff, Costa said. And more dispatching staff will soon be needed to match the county's population growth, he said.

"We can't put anything more in that pulls any more power, unless we take something out," he said.

In 1990, the population of the county was about 135,500 people, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. In 2012, the estimated population was about 214,400 -- an increase of about 60 percent.

In the past decade alone, a period of high growth in the county, the number of 911 calls received has shot up. There were 72,100 calls in 2003, according to MVRDA. During the last calendar year, calls totaled about 132,600 -- a jump of nearly 60 percent.

Asked on Facebook, Sun-News readers shared a range of responses about the two ballot proposals related to the 911 center. Several expressed concerns about tax increases.

Said Patricia McDaniel of Las Cruces: "Let government-paid employees take a pay decrease (and) put that money toward funds they need. Enough is enough already. Do they think we are made of money?"

Said Fernando Corral of the proposed tax increase: "Make it 50 cents, and build two centers."

The bond question, if OK'd by voters, would keep the same level of property taxes, because it's a renewal. The proposed sales tax would be a tax increase, at a rate of 25 cents on a $100 purchase, excluding most medical and food.

Cell phone dilemma

Officials attribute part of the growth in call volume at the 911 center to the rapid rise of cell phone use, which often means more people phone in to report a single incident, such as a car crash. Costa said that's a good thing -- people should report what they see in the interests of public safety -- but it also means there's more demand on the call center.

It also increases the chances that a resident will happen to call during a spike in other calls, because of a crash for instance, and get an answering service or a busy signal. If that happens, it means there's more calls than dispatchers, Costa said. Currently, those backlogs happen a few times a day, but they clear within about five to 10 minutes, he said.

"It's at the point where its an inconvenience now," he said. "Having more staffing will reduce that."

County Commissioner Billy Garrett said staffing levels are a problem for the center.

"I believe the case has been made that we're understaffed, and we're understaffed for the next five to 10 years," he said.

No room to expand

Costa said part of the problem is that the existing building has no space to put new equipment that's necessary to add more call-takers and 911 dispatcher positions.

County Commission Chairwoman Karen Perez said the space constraints are a major reason for the proposed $6 million bond for a new structure. Hiring new staff isn't possible, she said.

"We can't physically fit them in the building," she said.

Sara Terrazas, who identified herself as a 911 dispatcher, said renovating the current structure, as some residents have proposed, is not a good idea.

The center has 12 call trunks -- each containing equipment for one dispatcher, Costa said. The proposed new 18,000 square-foot center would allow for 16 trunks, as well as empty space for future growth, he said.

"There would be more staff, which would hopefully improve call times and the level of service that people are seeing," he said. "There's more people to answer the phones."

County officials said they'd pool the $6 million with $2.25 million granted by the Legislature this year. Another $1.5 million is available through a certain state fund to buy new technology, officials said.

Lack of funds

But even if the 911 center had space to expand, it doesn't have the money, Costa said.

The center's operations are paid for with a $2.9 million operating budget. Mesilla, Hatch, the county, Las Cruces and other entities chip in to fund it each year.

The proposed tax increase would generate as much as $4 million per year for the 911 center -- eliminating the need for each of the local government's to pitch in for the center's budget, county officials said.

Each dispatcher station requires about 4 personnel to operate it 24-7, Costa said. So, if a new facility has four extra stations, the 911 center could expand services, he said.

"As we build, it would probably get us up to the $4 million probably within two to three years," he said.

Early voting underway

In addition to 911 center operations, the proposed sales tax would pay for ambulance service and operations of the county's proposed Crisis Triage Center, a facility to help mentally ill residents.

Besides the 911 center bond question, two other bond questions would provide money to finish building a facility to house animals being held in court cases and pay for improvements to the county fairgrounds west of Las Cruces.

Early voting runs through July 27 throughout the county at six sites. Diana Alba Soular may be reached at 575-541-5443

Three GO bond measures:

- $800,000 GO bond-renewal measure to pay for finishing a facility for animals being held as evidence in court cases

- $6 million GO bond-renewal measure to pay for building a new 911 call center

- $1 million GO bond-renewal measure to pay for improvements to the Southern New Mexico Fairgrounds